Google Fiber gets a new head, but loses employees

Google Fiber gets a new head, but loses employees

Sherri Watson
|
17 February, 2017, 01:29

Earlier reports said Google wouldn't expand to several cities as originally planned, and there has been speculation that Alphabet, the Google parent company, will sell the fiber division. "We just announced our expansion into Raymore last week, and we can't wait for even more customers in Kansas City to experience what's possible with Google Fiber". The restructuring is said to be in line with the company's vision of a wireless future.

"We're thrilled that Greg has agreed to join as CEO, to drive this innovation and to grow the business", Google Fiber said in an emailed statement. This seems to be further proof that the Google Fiber project is being re-evaluated, and may end up taking a very different form from its current iteration. The problem with fiber pulls is simple: It's extremely expensive to bring fiber-to-the-home, and the costs have been compounded by incumbent telcos who have sued Google Fiber in various states to avoid being forced to share utility poles or route access.

The first indication of that vision came past year when Google Fiber bought Webpass, a company that has created a hybrid fiber/microwave broadband network targeting mainly multi-dwelling units (MDUs). A Recode report past year says it costs Mountain View $1 billion to bring Fiber to a new market.

A number of reports indicate that Google Fiber is realigning the all-fiber strategy by incorporating broadband wireless into its fold. This avoids having to dig up streets, run cables everywhere, and so on.

Is Google swapping FTTH for radio?

GF also recently opened a customer service center in Raleigh.

Google Fiber is also examining emerging fiber installation techniques like microtrenching, a method that allows service providers to carve shallow grooves in the ground to deploy fiber.